Coronaviruses - Information from the World Health Organisation

Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a new strain that was discovered in 2019 and has not been previously identified in humans.

Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people.  Detailed investigations found that SARS-CoV was transmitted from civet cats to humans and MERS-CoV from dromedary camels to humans. Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans. 

Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death. 

Standard recommendations to prevent infection spread include regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, thoroughly cooking meat and eggs. Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing.

Communist Party of Swaziland on the global spread of the COVID-19 and implications for our struggle in Swaziland

The Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS) commends the proactive work of the workers of Swaziland in sensitising the people about the global spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The activist work of the unions in conscientising the people about safety measures, notwithstanding the uncaring attitude of the tinkhundla regime with regard to the virus, presents a way-forward on how to defeat both the virus and the regime.

It is the workers, working together with the entire population, who forced Mswati’s government to declare a national emergency on the COVID-19. The poor response by the autocracy is not surprising. This has been its response to the general health crisis that has engulfed Swaziland for a very long time.

It is important to remember that by the time the COVID-19 became a global pandemic, the health system of Swaziland had long been collapsed by the Mswati regime. Swaziland was in a health crisis even before Mswati wasted billions of people’s funds spoiling himself on two luxurious private jets, constructing many palaces for himself and his many wives, throwing extravagant birthday parties for himself, purchasing the latest luxurious Rolls Royce and BMW vehicles for himself and his family, and many other ways. The declaration of the national emergency by his prime minister is not, therefore, an example of a bold government serious about the health of the nation.

Mswati has not changed from these selfish desires. He and his autocratic government will not change even now with the COVID-19 pandemic. The regime did not do anything to prepare for the pandemic: No test laboratories were constructed to test the public, medical practitioners were not equipped with protective material and knowledge on the virus, and there were no quarantining measures in public hospitals and clinics undertaken, placing both patients and medical practitioners at an increased risk. A total of 70 per cent of our population is at risk should the outbreak hit our population more.

The people still recall that before the spread of the virus, public hospitals already resembled death camps for the majority. Mswati continued to fantasise about First World status while a nation was devastated by HIV and poverty. When cancer patients were sent home to die due to the government’s frivolous excuse of lack of funds, the spendthrift Mswati continued to devour public funds without any iota of accountability. There has never been any seriousness from the regime to make the health care system serve the people, and it will never do so, for the tinkhundla system is built to serve only the selfish interests of the monarchy as well as private profit interests. It is thus a crime against the people for anyone (or organisation) to suggest that Mswati’s government deserves any commendation for declaring the national emergency – which was, in any event, imposed upon the regime by the decisive actions of the workers and the masses!

The fight against the COVID-19, particularly noting the reality of the necessary restrictions, however, must not translate to a suspension of the struggle for freedom in Swaziland. Instead, the struggle must be intensified. This means adaptation to these temporary conditions of struggle. The fight against the COVID-19 is inextricably linked with the struggle for free quality health care for all, which is also linked with the fight against absolute monarchy rule, a system in place since the abolishing of political parties on 12 April 1973 by the monarch.

The way forward

Following the reality of the global spread of the COVID-19, including in the southern African region in particular, the CPS has taken the following measures:

1.    The CPS 4^th National Congress which was scheduled for 9 to 12 April 2020 is postponed until further notice;

2.    CPS cadres are deployed to strategic areas to give practical solidarity to the people, including their activists’ role in conscientising the masses about the COVID-19;

3.    CPS cadres are commanded to work more closely with workers’ unions and other health experts to acquire credible information on the COVID-19 and dispersing such information to the people; 

4.    The CPS will intensify the struggle against the tinkhundla regime, understanding that the fight against the COVID-19 is naturally linked with the fight against the oppressive regime;

5.    Although the seminar which was to be held on Saturday 21 March 2020, during the Israeli Apartheid Week, has been officially postponed, the CPS will continue to observe the day through its online platforms and other means to conscientise the people of Swaziland about the occupation of Palestinian land by the Zionist Israeli regime;

The CPS calls upon the people of Swaziland to unite in solidarity among each other in the fight for quality health care for all. The fight must necessarily include the fight against the cause of the health care disaster that continues to engulf the people; the tinkhundla system. The struggle must not be abandoned merely because the people are faced with the COVID-19 pandemic!

Issued by the Communist Party of Swaziland